March 2020 Month in Review

April 2, 2020

Newsworthy

Holy buckets, people. What is going on?

With COVID-19 a full, global pandemic all our lives are changing drastically. I now work full-time from home. I have self-selected to stay at home since 3/14, but Wisconsin issued a “Safer at Home” governor’s order on March 25th. It lasts until April 24th. I’ve canceled my trip home to see my family for Mother’s Day and a convention I was going to attend for work. I have only left the house for doctor’s appointments (no, I’m fine– my chiropractor is a godsend) and the occasional grocery run — during which I have yet to find paper products, yeast, or flour. I haven’t seen my friends in person since 3/13. As an extrovert, this has been a challenge. And, the worst part, is I cannot concentrate on reading. I have read… I dunno, 40 pages since March 14th. That’s it. It’s so weird.

But I’m so proud of us. Humanity is banding together. People are offering to go on errand runs for those who are older, immunocompromised, or who are caregivers for such people. Videoconferencing has become a part of not only my daily work life, but also my social life. I have regular video calls with close friends and distant ones. Heck, I’ve even had three book club meetings via video conference. It’s been amazing.

I’ve been doing my own version of Quarantine Kitchen – I’m on a quest to use all the food in our house. All of it. And, let me tell you, we have a LOT of food going on here. #FarmLife. I’ve been anxiety baking with the rest of them making chocolate chip cookies, gingersnaps, cherry hand pies, hamentashen, chocolate jam bars, Irish soda bread, beer bread, and 3 kinds of knishes. If there were more flour and yeast in my life, you can bet your bottom dollar I’d be crushing even more bakes.

My time hasn’t suddenly grown, though. In a few ways, I’m busier than I was before the quarantine. Now people in my life want to connect in new ways, so I’m filling my time easily. Plus, it’s hard to end work on time when you’re working on corporate business resiliency efforts. But I have made time each morning for yoga (it replaces my commute), I’m practicing my guitar daily (I haven’t touched it since 2007), and I’ve started replaying The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (something needs to replace all my reading time. I cannot just stare at paragraphs forever absorbing nothing). It’s been good. Great, even.

But man. Do I miss you all.

 

List of Reads

Almost all these books were read before March 14th. I just want you to know that. Who knows what my April reads will look like? I can bet I won’t read all my book club books…

March Books:

Read 7 total books

5 star

MUST READ this month:

Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark –  I had quite a few  5-star books this month. So, why Secret of the Andes? This Newbery Award winner from 1953 won the same year Charlotte’s Web received the Newbery Honor. As such, Secret of the Andes receives a lamentable reputation in the book world. I found this children’s novel to be inspiring, interesting, and intriguing. I highly recommend it — but perhaps don’t compare it to Charlotte’s Web the whole time. 😉

Meh. I wasn’t into it this month:

The White Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon –  Both of my March buddy reads were disappointments, sadly. When it came to choosing just one, well, I had to go with The White Gryphon. I can recall many details of The Ruin of Kings, as well as clearly articulate what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about it a few weeks later. Not so much with The White Gryphon. A sadly unforgettable middle installment to The Mage Wars trilogy. Here’s hoping the conclusion is stronger!

 

MONTH TBR:

  • Kids Lit Book Club – Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
  • West Side Stories – The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
  • Brunch Books – Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
  • VACB Book Club Kindred by Octavia Butler
  • Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club: TBD by TBD (Book club Sunday!)
  • The Great Newbery Challenge – Smoky, The Cowhorse by Will James and Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
  • #ReadingValdemar – The Silver Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon

 

2020 Reading Goal Updates:

  • March Book Club and Goal-Specific Books Omitted: 1/7
  • Overall 2020 Reading Challenge: 23/60 (38%)
  • Non-Fiction Consumed in 2020: 4
  • Series Progress:
    • New Series Started: 5
    • Series Completed: 2
  • 2020 Great Newbery Challenge: 1/20 (0% complete)
    • You can follow The Great Newbery Challenge over the years here.

I am really impressed with my ability to keep up with my book club and buddy reads this month. I had two buddy reads, one book I read and reviewed for the Tolkien Reading Event @ Pages Unbound, and four book club books! That’s quite a bit, even for me. Yet I managed to read all but one. I don’t know how I pulled that off. Black magic, probably.

I’m starting to doubt my ability to meet my Newbery Quest goal. I’ve only read 1 of 20 I need to really read this year. My library is currently closed and has no projected reopening date. I have read almost every Newbery Award winner I can get via e-book or e-audiobook from the library. At this point, I will need to take some proper time off of work just for reading if I want to make a dent in this stack before the end of the year. Though, at this rate, all my trips will be canceled anyway. Perhaps I just run a cabin in the middle of nowhere, take a stack of Newbery winners and read?

If you’re curious about why I chose the goals I did for 2020, you can see my reading and blogging goal post here.

 

Tsundoku Life

It wouldn’t be tsundoku if I didn’t have a gigantic pile of books and bookish things going on in my life!

On the Blog:

I can feel my blogging slowing down as the quarantine continues. But I am fighting it! March was a solid month for Top Ten Tuesdays AND book reviews for once. Good job, past Jackie!

Book Reviews

Death by Tsundoku Series Posts

Top Ten Tuesday

Other Posts

 

2020 Blogging Goal Updates:

  • Book Review Word Count Average: 648
  • Total 2020 Posts Published: 36/100 (36%)
  • Total Series Posts Published: 12/24 (50%)
    • #ReadingValdemar: 4
    • Building Better book Clubs: 3
    • Solving for Tsundoku: 2
    • Between the Lines: 3
  • Newbery Winner Reviews Published: 4/10 (10%)

Woot! My average blog post length went down by 52 words! I won’t lie, I’m super pumped about this. It’s the little things, friends. I’m thrilled that I’m on track with all of my blogging goals for 2020. This is a huge win compared to last year. 

For those of you playing along at home, you might have noticed that my Total Series Posts Published goal finally has… well, a specific goal! My original goal was to publish more series posts in 2020 than in 2019: More than 11. I’ve surpassed that now, so I feel comfortable pursuing my stretch goal: two series posts published a month. I’m already at 50% of my goal. No, I will not grow that. All this being trapped inside makes it even more difficult to blog for some reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if my blogging drops off over the next two months…

If you’re curious about why I chose the goals I did for 2020, you can see my reading and blogging goal post here.

 

Blog Projects and News

Guest Post for the Tolkien Reading Event! March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day and each year Krysta and Briana @ Pages Unbound host a Tolkien Reading Event. This is my second year in a row participating. On April 1st (okay, this is cheating a bit as it’s my March Month in Review — so sue me) they shared my review of Humphrey Carpenter’s J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography. I had forgotten how fun it is to write guest posts. Thanks for hosting me, ladies! As always, I loved it.

I rule at buddy reads, and yet fail at the same time?! [Shameless self-promotion, I know. But this month I buddy read The White Gryphon with Melanie @ Grab the Lapels and The Ruin of Kings with Kim @ Traveling in Books. Melanie and I got our posts up on time (yes!) but neither of us liked the book (boo!). Kim and I disliked The Ruin of Kings so much we just decided mulligan and we’ll do a buddy read in April with a hopefully better book. And Jane @ Greenish Bookshelf and I finally got our Rifles for Watie buddy read published! What a weird month for buddy reads.

 

March’s catchphrase is “in like a lion, out like a lamb”. Yeah, I guess so. While spring is finally gettin’ sprung out here in Madison, I can feel things calming down. Maybe too much. We just need to remember, we’re all in this together. Whatever happens — I’m here for you.

Happy Reading,

Jackie B.

Jackie B Forman

 


What do you think?

  • Have you read any of the books I mentioned above? What are your thoughts?
  • Did you discover any amazing new reads in March? What are your recommendations?
  • What awesome stuff did you get up to in March? I’m curious about your life outside of books!
  • How are you handling the COVID-19 pandemic? What are you doing to cope and entertain yourself?
  • Are you interested in writing a guest post for Death by Tsundoku? Or perhaps to host me writing a post for your blog? Let’s chat!

16 Comments

  • Kim @ Traveling in Books April 3, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    I am currently loving The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel! I’m taking it really slowly, though. I’m at about 36%, and I’ve been working on it for the past couple of weeks. Just DNF’d another book tonight…

    I haven’t yet reached the point where I’ve been baking, though I do actually have the stuff for baking, though my yeast might be a little old. I might make a pie tomorrow. So far, grocery stores around here haven’t been stripped bare, except for toilet paper and paper towels in most locations.

    Do you still want to do our Amberlough buddy read this month? Or do you want to hold off until May, when things might start looking up?

    • Jackie B April 9, 2020 at 11:25 am

      Did you end up making your pie? Or baking something else? I hope your yeast is still active — the worst is when I want to bake something yeasted and the yeast is all dead. Wah wah.

      Yes, I’d love to hold off on a buddy read until May. Which might or might not be obvious based on a more recent post than this. XD Obviously, I saw this comment, got distracted with my new post, and then got distracted all week with work. Things have been nuts over here. I really just… want a nap. shrug

      • Kim @ Traveling in Books April 9, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Ha! I did not make my pie! I got distracted and forgot all about it. I should do that tonight. But then, I grabbed flour yo make cookies this weekend, so maybe I should hold off on the pie…. Guess I will toss a coin and find out!

        No problem on the buddy read! I have plenty to read and do around here. I just put Amberlough back on the shelf and grabbed something else. I hope you get a nap soon!

        • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 2:49 pm

          Okay, it’s been almost a month — now have you made the pie? 😉

          • Kim @ Traveling in Books May 6, 2020 at 2:51 pm

            I totally forgot about the pie! I have make some breads, two batches of cookies, and some soups among other things. But no pie!

            • Jackie B May 8, 2020 at 12:17 pm

              How could you forget about the pie?! Well. I’ll be waiting to see what sort of pie you end up making. Eventually. 😉

  • wadholloway April 3, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    I can never read when I’m stressed, and that’s how I felt when I realised Covid-19 was not going to stay in China or Italy, and that there was a major recession on the way. But with my son home from Africa, my family all safe, my finances looking much better than they did a couple of weeks ago (a couple of big debtors paid up in full!) and frankly self-isolation in a comfortable motel not much different to a holiday, I’m back to reading and writing. I just wish I was a bit nearer to those family members, like you, who are getting stuck into the baking. I’m missing out!

    • Jackie B April 8, 2020 at 10:36 am

      I’m so glad that things are looking on the up and up for you, Bill! That’s wonderful. It might be better for you that you’re away from the faimly who is baking, though… I’m definitely gaining more weight than I should be! XD

  • Sam@WLABB April 4, 2020 at 7:33 am

    I am so impressed with how you have been embracing the quarantine. Good for you! My cheapskate heart loves that you are challenging yourself to use all the food in your home. I have been trying to get my mother to do that, especially after I went through the cabinets and pantry to find so much expired food. The waste kills me! Other than not having to go to work, I do the same things I always did when I was home. I should schedule more exercise, because that is something I never had time for being gone 12+ hours per day. But, then I bought Animal Crossing. Great time waster.

  • Captain's Quarters April 4, 2020 at 9:00 am

    Ahoy there Matey Jackie! I be glad to hear ye be doing as well as can be in these times. I have about a billion comments from ye to respond to. The First Mate even asked why I was skipping yer comments when he was reading comments to one of me posts! I told him I need a Jackie comment day because there be a) so many; and b) they require proper thought to answer. I hopefully will get to them tomorrow. I haven’t been able to read much and work has been crazy as I am technically an essential employee. I think the essential ones are the healthcare and food industry people and police and such. But I be grateful to have income when so many be losing their jobs. I have the day off and plan on reading a whole book. Arrrr!
    x The Captain

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      Hahaha– I don’t blame you for skipping my comments! I skip your comments and Melanie’s sometimes for the same reasons. When someone just says, “Great post!” I can easily respond, “Thanks!” But when someone asks me a question about a text I’ve never considered… well, that takes time. And I’m often responding to blog comments between meetings at work. #SorryNotSorry That’s not always the best time to apply my brain.

      Did you end up reading a whole book on your day off? Which book?

  • Grab the Lapels April 6, 2020 at 10:29 am

    Even after all of our texting I didn’t realize you were baking so much! The funny thing about baking is you’ll either need to freeze it or just freakin’ enjoy it, because I can’t imagine too many neighbors that would accept a food gift right now. Such a bummer.

    Do you think that your struggle to focus on books is just the quarantine, or is it that you read so many not-great buddy reads in March? I can see how that would put me off reading! I’m glad The Silver Gryphon has started so well. There are many small things in the new characters’ development that I plan to point to when I review the novel. Don’t forget I’m happy to face chat about the novel (or anything!) anytime you want. I made my mom promise me that if she starts crying or gets upset, she’s supposed to call me. That can apply to you, too.

  • Annemieke April 11, 2020 at 1:17 pm

    It is so weird, everything going on. I also have less time with Merijn constantly at home. Its hard to find a new rhythm. with him now.

    Sad to see you rated Ruin of Kings low. I’ve been interested in that book a little. (not that I own it or anything haha)
    And yeay for Murderbot. I’m actually hosting a murderbot readalong for the 4 novella’s in preperation of the full novel if you want to join us? Next week will be Artificial Condition for us.

    • Jackie B May 6, 2020 at 3:09 pm

      Oh man. I’m so sorry I’m only getting to this comment a month later! I would have loved to participate in your Murderbot novella readalong. Not that I would have been great at participating over the last few weeks, as I didn’t really do much reading over the last few weeks… I definitely want to read the remaining novellas and the novel! It feels weird to me that Wells has expanded to a novel after so many novellas. I wonder why?

  • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks April 13, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    I have mostly been fine, cause I work from home anyway. And I’m an introvert xD what is a bummer is that I started taking dance classes in March. We waited for those specific ones for like 3-4 years. And also I made an effort to go out and do something. And was cut short in two weeks. I understand it’s nothing compared to what most people are going through – but it’s a bummer because I have been shut in for YEARS. Now that I make an effort, I get fish slapped xD what. Grr. Typical, isn’t it 🙂 I really hope the classes do come back eventually. It was the first such class in years. I am worried they might just fizzle out and not offer that class anymore 🙁

    But that’s among all the other awful things we are all worried about right now. I’d much rather worry about dance classes, I guess!

    And yeah, my reading has also taken a hit.

    And I’ve always told people that working from home somehow ends up making you busier, despite how much time it saves you on the commutes. I don’t get it, but it is that way. It’s super weird.

    Also. Get Animal Crossing maybe? We can visit each other’s islands? It’s a cute game 🙂

    Scribd now offers a 30 day completely free trial. It has ebooks and audiobooks, and you could find some more Newbery winners there I think. Only you have to use the /readfree link.

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